Stevia plant named &#39;AKH L1 &#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  stevia  plant named ‘AKH L1’, characterized by its combination of late cycle, light green or yellow green leaves, high number of nodes on the main stem, medium number of basal buds, high Rebaudiosido A of total Glycoside Steviol content, and high yielding of dried leaves at harvest.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional application No. 61/336,506, filed on Jan. 22, 2010.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

None

GENUS AND SPECIES

Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) Bertoni

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘AKH L1’

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of stevia(Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) Bertoni), which has been given the varietydenomination of ‘AKH L1’.

The new stevia plant cultivar is a selection resulting from a controlledbreeding program of stevia plants at Guyayybi, San Pedro, Paraguay in2006 through the controlled pollination of seed parent “Eirete”(unpatented) and pollen parent “AKH/EM1” (unpatented). The new cultivarwas selected as a single plant within a population of plants resultingfrom this controlled pollination of stevia plants in 2006 at anexperimental station at Guyayvi, San Pedro, Paraguay. Selection criteriawas a combination of Rebaudioside A content equal to more than 50% oftotal steviol glycols, high yield of leaves per hectare, high capacityof sprouting after each harvest and resistance to leaf spot diseases.The selection was subsequently evaluated for a number of years at theExperimental Station of Pure Circle South America at Guyayvi, San Pedro,Paraguay.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by clonal propagation has beenused to create mother plants, and then by clonal propagation by cuttingsin field nurseries to produce seedlings since 2007 at Guyayvi, SanPedro, Paraguay and has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproducestrue to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described,firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexualpropagation.

The new variety can be compared to the seed parent “Eirete”. In Guyayvi,San Pedro, Paraguay the plant height of ‘AKH L1’ is classified as‘medium size’ whereas the plant height of ‘Eirete’ is classified as‘high size’. The cycle of ‘AKH L1’ is ‘late’ whereas the cycle of‘Eirete’ is ‘medium’. In Guyayvi, San Pedro, Paraguay the leaf color of‘AKH L1’ is ‘light green or yellow green’ whereas the leaf color of‘Eirete’ is ‘dark green’. The percentage of Rebaudioside A of totalGlycoside Steviol of ‘AKH L1’ is ‘89%’ whereas the percentage ofRebaudioside A of total Glycoside Steviol of ‘Eriete’ is ‘52%’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘AKH L1’ as a new and distinctcultivar of a stevia plant:

1. late cycle

2. light green or yellow green leaf

3. many nodes on main stem

4. medium number of basal buds

5. Stevioside content 1.3%

6. Rebaudioside A content 11.5%

7. total of Esteviosido+Rebaudioside A 12.8%

8. 89% of Rebaoudiosido A of total Glycoside Steviol

9. yields 4,500 kg/ha of dried leaves in three cuts

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘AKH L1’.

FIG. 1 illustrates an ‘AKH L1’ plant from roots to top of the plant.

FIG. 2 illustrates ‘AKH L1’ leaves.

FIG. 3 illustrates an ‘AKH L1’ leaf, including the shape and dimensions.

FIG. 4 illustrates the branches, without leaves, of an ‘AKH L1’ plant.

FIG. 5 illustrates the flowers of an ‘AKH L1’ plant.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinctvariety of a stevia plant known as ‘AKH L1’. Plant observations weremade on plants grown in Guyayvi, San Pedro, Paraguay. Unless indicatedotherwise, the descriptions disclosed herein are based upon observationsmade in February 2008 of mature ‘AKH L1’ plants (age 6 months) grown inoutdoor field plantings with day temperature ranging from 25° C. to 35°C., night temperatures ranging from 22° C. to 30° C., and light levelsranging from 20 to 25 klux. ‘AKH L1’ has not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors andother characteristics are given, it is to be understood that suchcharacteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accuratelyas practicable. The phenotype of the variety may vary with variations inthe environment such as season, temperature, light quality, lightintensity, day length, cultural conditions and the like. Color notationsare based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, 2007 edition.

-   Botanical classification: Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) Bertoni cultivar    AKH L1.-   Parentage:    -   -   Parents.—seed parent “EIRETE” (unpatented); pollen parent            “AKH/EM1” (unpatented).-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—prostrate Type III; Main stem with dominance            of auxiliary buds and a good development of lateral branches            in the auxiliary buds.        -   Plant height.—approximately 51 cm to 70 cm.        -   Number of nodes on main stem.—over 31 nodes.        -   Number of basal buds.—medium; 6 to 10 basal buds per plant.        -   Cycle.—late.-   Fully developed leaf:    -   -   Shape.—lanceolate.        -   Color.—light green or yellow green.        -   Leaf edge.—moderately sawn or scalloped.        -   Stevioside content.—1.3%.        -   Rebaudioside A content.—11.5%.        -   Rebaudioside A of total glycoside stevio.—1 89%.        -   Total of stevioside and rebaudioside A.—12.8%.        -   Productivity.—Yielding of dried leaves in three cuts 4,5000            kg/ha.        -   Cold hardiness.—Cold tolerance from −2° C.        -   Heat tolerance.—Heat tolerance to 40° C.        -   Pathogen resistance.—Moderately resistant to Septoria            steviae.        -   Leaf harvest period.—approximately 2 harvests per year; one            in December and one in April in Guyayvi, San Pedro,            Paraguay.

TABLE 1 Comparison with parents Organ/Plant Part: Context AKH L1 EireteAKH EM 1 Plant: height medium high 80 cm Low 51 cm-70 cm 30 cm-50 cmLeaf color light green/yellow dark green medium green green Leaf shapelanceolate lanceolate oval lanceolate Leaf edge moderately sawn stronglysawn strongly sawn or scalloped or notched or notched Stevioside 1.3%10.4% 2.1% content: Rebaudioside 11.5% 11.3% 9.2% A content: Number ofmedium 6-10 buds medium 6-10 medium 6-10 basal buds per plant buds perplant buds per plant

1. A new and distinct cultivar of stevia plant named ‘AKH L1’,substantially as herein shown and described.